There's no real reason to overstrike most of the time. Either move around or if standing in the same spot and need the next whack to clear closer stuff, just pick your hands up a little right before the axe head hits. This increases the handle angle and will clear the intervening pieces then. Swing, last second lift, head strike. Not saying I don't overstrike on occasion, but sorta rare.
I am only a medicore wrench, espeically on saws because I just started working on them last year, and just a so-so cutter, I don't do the volume like pro fallers or pro firewood sellers, but I am starting to get the impression I must be an exceptional hand splitter. I just don't hardly ever run into the problems I see posted here on splitting.
Going all the way back..I have never broken an axe or maul handle either. I am serious, I just cannot recall breaking one, ever. I have had the heads get loose and come off, that's it. Both wood and composite handles, the heads just eventually get loose. Mauls hammering them through a round, sure, the wood gets abraded and worn out, I don't consider that breaking them, just a piece that you know will get worn using it like that, the handle is a sacrificial piece on the tool. Then I swap them out once too worn for my tastes. Never busted one though or cracked it.
Now I have broken pick handles, but not axes, mauls or sledge hammers. And pick handles I have broken before from repeated use as a major lever, digging out stumps and rocks, etc. Combo of abraded away worn out, then it cracks trying to pry something out eventually.
*shrugs*
